Will is new in town, but luckily for her, she runs into Taranee on the first day of junior high, and just like that, a friendship is formed. Shortly after, the two hook up with three other local girls, and a happy little gang results. Together, Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornelia and Hay Lin are the W.I.T.C.H. of the title—a multiracial gang that even includes one girl who isn't stick-thin, something rarely seen in the pages of any comic. The appealing characters share something besides teenage high spirits and sunny dispositions; all have recently begun experiencing strange magical powers they can't quite understand. Irma can make the teacher quiz her only on the topics she knows, and Cornelia can straighten up her room just by thinking about it. Soon the girls are a team formed especially to protect the Veil, the boundary that separates good from evil. With a magical map and powers of the four elements—plus Will's power of organization—the girls are soon fighting evil. There are battles, betrayals and a Halloween dance that turns out to be an unexpected showdown. The uncredited manga-influenced artwork is as beautifully drawn as classic film animation, with some pleasant updates. Already a hit in Europe, this should charm some younger American readers as well. (May)